Common childhood thyroid disorders.

This article presents current knowledge about common childhood thyroid gland disorders. Included are congenital and acquired hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, disorders due to iodine deficiency, tumors and miscellaneous conditions. The significance of early diagnosis by screening and institution of treatment of congenital hypothyroidism is emphasized. Etiology, pathogenesis, clinical signs and symptoms, diagnosis and treatment are discussed.

Pectus excavatum in children: diagnostic significance for mitral valve prolapse.

Eighty-seven patients with pectus excavatum underwent cardiac examination and echocardiography (M-mode) to determine the diagnostic significance of pectus in children for mitral valve prolapse (MVP). Patients' ages ranged from 1 month to 18 years with a mean age of 5.4 years. Sixty-seven were males. Twenty of the 87 pectus patients (23%) had echocardiographic evidence of MVP, whereas 11 of these had auscultatory findings of a non-ejection click or late systolic murmur, and 4 had significant mitral insufficiency. Fourteen of the 77 patients (18%) with mild pectus, and 6 of the 10 patients (60%) with severe pectus had MVP. Two of the patients (3.4%) with mild pectus and 2 of the patients (20%) with severe pectus also had significant mitral insufficiency. Ten of the 23 patients (44%) older than 8 years of age and 10 of the 64 younger patients (16%) had MVP. Although MVP was present more frequently in females (30%) than in males (21%), the difference was not statistically significant. This study indicates the high incidence of MVP in children of 8 years of age and older, especially when pectus deformity is severe. This information is particularly helpful to heighten suspicion of MVP in children with pectus excavatum.